


blood, laughter, & an emancipation

by Faleon_Weatherbee



Category: Dungeons & Dragons (Roleplaying Game), Original Work
Genre: Aasimar, Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition, Dungeons & Dragons Character Backstory, Gang Violence, Half-orc, Homebrew Content, I love my yeehaw d&d oc, M/M, Mild Gore, Multi, Other, Tieflings, Twin Fangs Outlaw Gang, Wild West, Yuan-ti, wild west setting, yeehaw baby, yeehaw hawyee I love western settings, yuan-ti biology, yuan-ti outlaw gang
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-04
Updated: 2020-03-04
Packaged: 2021-03-01 04:41:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,882
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23019475
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Faleon_Weatherbee/pseuds/Faleon_Weatherbee
Summary: the smell of blood and sound of laughter filled the room. this would be the final straw. they had to get free. they had to leave to have any chance at a life.
Relationships: Estelle Holloway/Nicolas "Mojave" Jones (past), William Farely/Morgan Farely, William Farely/Morgan Farely/Amari Hallet
Kudos: 2





	blood, laughter, & an emancipation

The job was botched there was no other way to describe it -as they had barely made it back to the hideout without getting caught- at no real fault of anyone one person but Estelle was the leader of the heist so the failure would come down on their shoulders. Getting back Estelle was about to tell the group to get some shut eye only to walk into the hideout that everyone was in the main area. Nicholas- no the Mojave standing there in the middle a large circle in front of him, Diamondback and Sidewinder standing on either side fangs out as the mouths stretched into sadistic smiles. Walking up into the circle Estelle looked to the rest of her group motioning for them to stay back and to join the group.

“Copperhead I see you back,” Estelle bows as the Mojave addresses them, “an empty handed. Unless you’ve found a way to make a wagon of money invisible. Which I really hope you have,” he stalks around them whispering against their ear tongue flicking out against it ever so gently -something the used to enjoy but now only causes disgust to fill their body-, “especially for your sake,” as Estelle stays still in the bow position waiting for him to say they can move, “You are free to stand and talk now, give me your report and we’ll see how it goes from there.”

“Why do we need their report? They obviously botched the job,” Sidewinder hissed out eyes dark as the stared Estelle down a bit of blood already on her face. 

“Agreed there is no point in the weakling defending their incompetence,” Diamondback looked over at Sidewinder smile becoming even more sadistic, before looking Mojave in the eyes, “Unless you have a soft spot for it? You ain't going soft for them again are you?”

Everyone in the room stops moving, seemingly stops breathing as the smell of Mojave’s anger becomes strong enough to taste on their tongues. He puffs up becoming bigger and pulls out a large jagged blade walking over to Estelle eyes cold and empty as he looks down in them. 

“They’re right Copperhead. We can’t have anyone slackin’ and nothin’, not even a rank and a place at the big table,” looking over at Diamondback and Sidewinder Mojave bears his fangs letting out a nasty hiss in warning for them too, “will protect **_anyone_** if they **_fail_** _me_ and the gang. We are only as strong as our weakest member. This is only a _taste_ of what will happen to you if any of you fail me again,” lightning quick Mojave slams the large jagged blade into Estelle’s stomach.

As the knife is slammed into Estelle’s body they let out a loud cry, which causes Mojave to laugh -no a better description is to cackle hysterically- as he pulls the blade up the back down creating a large hole in their body. Blood rushes out of Estelle, they only just manage to catch themselves from falling when he pulls the blade out of them with a twist and bringing it up to his mouth his tongue sticking out to lick it clean. Estelle moves to put pressure on the wound only for Mojave to stop them and reach his hand into it. His hand in them causes them to lose all control as their body screams in uncontrollable searing pain. He twists his hand around flexing it and balling it into a fist as well as scraping his nails against their insides as he holds their body weight with his other hand, periodically pulling it out to lick the gushing blood off. The last thing Estelle remembers is the sound of his laughter and the feel of the cold hard floor against their back as they crashed against it.

Pain - _ burning,  _ **_searing_ ** _ pain _ \- flooding their lower body was what woke Estelle up. Tears threatening to fall as they finally opened their eyes clouded with moisture making the person stitching them up slowly blurry. Reaching to their right hand wipe their eyes pain shooting up their body but they manage to wipe the tears away and looking up into copper eyes with large dark eyebags seeming to weigh them down and a mouth pulled into a deep frown they slowly realized it was the face of Amari Hallet. He drops his eyes back down to wound and quickly goes back to slowly stitching me up. 

“I had to heal all the internal damage he did to you first,” Estelle watches as he pulls the thread up before going back down opening their mouth to say something but he gives them a stern look before continuing, “He basically  **_gutted_ ** you Estelle. He reached his hand in and pulled part of your intestine out after he had already perforated part of it!”

“What do you want me to do?! Amari what could  **_I_ ** possibly do?! He is the Mojave! I am just a lowly copperhead with a fancy but useless title. I can’t do  _ anything _ he is lost to me, he’s been lost to me for years.”

“You do the only thing you can do. You finally  **_get out_ ** .”

“Get out?! How am I supposed to do that? No has ever- and even if I did I would be too big of a liability to be allowed to live!” Tears of frustration run down Estelle’s face, Amari finishes the last stitch cutting the thread -with a  **_loud snip_ ** \- placing his needle, the excess thread and scissors down. He moves his stool closer to the head of the bed and reaches both arms around them. He holds them as they cry wiping the tears away and stroking their hair. 

“I will help you. I will get you out if it’s the last thing I do. I won’t fail you again.”

“You’ve never failed me Amari,” Estelle just manages to hiccup through the tears.

“Oh sweet child what little you know,” and with that the only sound is the sound of Estelle’s crying dying down as they run out of tears and Amari letting out soft hiss like humming that rumbles through his chest to theirs to calm them down soothing them like a parent would, like their mother used to do before.

So they start planning the following weeks. As Estelle healed from their wounds they went back to working in the lab with Amari under the guise of working on another breakthrough but in reality they were working on a chemical to send Estelle’s body into a quick almost brumation like state to do their best to make them appear dead. During one of Estelle’s runs to get more components for their experiment they secretly go to the lawmen office under a disguise self spell just in case. The law building seemed to stand taller that it was as Estelle walked over to it, their own wanted picture firmly in their hand -not that you could tell given that it was a poor and inaccurate depiction making them seem much older- walking in the building was mostly empty only one person where in the back. Large and taking up a big space with his muscular and hulkling body as he leaned back in his chair hat pulled over his eyes, a thick salt n peppered bear with tusks poking out of his relaxed mouth and cars marrying his exposed light green skin of his arms.

“Excuse me I’m need to talk to Marshal Morgan Farely about somethi-”

“Yeah what is it?” He replies not moving from his relaxed position

“I’d prefer to take this to the marshal themselves.”

“I am the marshal, kid,” he pulls up his hat revealing his golden eyes under thick almost furry brows and tapping the badge on his chest, “Now what can I do for you?”

“I’d like to make a deal.” Estelle walks over to him at his desk slamming their own wanted poster down on the table.

“A deal? What sort of deal and what does it have to do with ‘The Copperhead’ and the TF Gang?”   
  


“I’m ‘The Copperhead’ and I would like to make a deal,” dropping the disguise self spell, “I’ll give you the locations of the hideouts I know and our upcoming targets-”

“First things first kid, say I do  _ believe _ you’re ‘The Copperhead’ and you do have the information you say you do. What do you  **_want_ ** ?”

“I want immunity. I want to be able to walk away from my past and the law to let me and ‘The Copperhead’  **die** . I just  _ want- _ no I  **_need-_ ** a new life.” Tears are running down their face as Estelle does their best to wipe them away.

“Alright, kid. I’ll ask some of the fellow marshalls and sheriffs, just give me a couple targets to see if it’s legit and I’ll get back to you,”

“How will you get back to me, I can’t keep coming into the office no matter my spells.”

“You go to the saloon ask William, the barkeep, for a double shot of Black Fire whisky, and he’ll let me know to come see you in the back room.”

“Okay I can do that. Thank you.” Estelle takes one of his hands in theirs placing a folded piece of paper in it before using disguise self and walking out of the office sneaking off to find a quick place to drop it and going back to the hideout.

Back at the hideout everyone looked away from them. People got quiet when they walked past as well as staring at their stomach area some with pity and some of the more venomous vipers with disgusting glee and enjoyment. Estelle kept going pushing past the stares of pity and enjoyment, head held high making it back to their lab to further work on their brumation chemical. They spent the next weeks healing and working away, having to have the stitches changed once after them being ripped open by Sidewinder pushing them “on accident” causing Estell to have to contort their body to not fall off a cliff. Estelle thought gleefully about the fact that a lot of the first batch targets they had given to Farely were her’s, and that at he had taken their word on the targets being real which might explain her mood. Things were all in all going quite well. Almost too well. They had made a breakthrough on the brumation chemical and an improved health potion to present to the gang so their real work would go unnoticed. When asked why they turned their research on healing, Estelle only said one thing in the meeting, “ _ I don’t know it just felt like something we needed or might need in the  _ **_future_ ** ,” walking out and hitching a horse they then traveled through the night to Sandworth going into the saloon to speak with Willam and Farely again.

Walking up to the bar Estelle ordered a double shot of Black Fire whisky William grabbed the bottle off the shelf pouring them their drink and then nodded to the back room. Throwing the drink back Estelle went to the back just as a trap door opened up from the floor. Farely’s comically squeezed himself through the door coming to stand and looked them over before taking a seat at one of chairs at the table. Estelle sat down across from them hands folded in their lap waiting for Farely to say something.

“So I talked to the other marshalls-”

“What did they say?!”

“Well since all your tips have panned out they’ve decided to accept your deal. They will look the other way and you can live a brand new life,” suddenly all the tension in Estelle’s body just dropped and they breathed a sigh of relief, “they are planning to attack the main base in two day you better be ready.”

“I can’t believe this is happenin’. I don’t know how to thank you,” Estelle wipes their eyes before any tears fall, “I have to figure where to go I have to go somewhere where there isn’t a big base nearby but also somewhere I can get work. Gosh what am I going to do for work?!” The sense of relief is now over flooded with dread and fear. Standing from the table and starting to pace across the room. Mumbling under their breath until they hear a soft deep and warm chuckle come through the door behind them.

“You can come with us,” William smiles at them his large graying mustache covering the top lip of it, “Morgan is getting reassigned to Thornbend and I bought a saloon up there. You could come stay with us maybe do a little work for me until you figure out what you wanna do.”

“Really?” Estelle looks at William the to Morgan eyes big and hopeful.

“Yeah, Really?!” Morgan looks at William, eyes also big but shocked.

“Yes, really. You’re a good kid and you need some more help and from what I hear you’re pretty handy so I’d say you might as well just come with us.” Estelle runs up to William wrapping their arms around him tightly with thank yous mumbled into his neck.

Estelle left the saloon heart definitely lighter than it had been. They rode fast getting back to the hideout just as the sun rose. Visibly tired and exhausted they stopped by the lab first to drop off the supplies William gave them and did their best to sneak into their room only to find the Mojave and Sidewinder standing in front of the door. Sidewinder's blood red lips stretched wide fangs exposed and almost dripping in anticipation. While the Mojave just looked disappointed at them.

“Where have you been Copperhead,” Mojave drawled out and disappointment wasn’t the only thing in his tone, there was a hit of something almost like jealousy.

“ _ Yess _ Copperhead where have you been,” Sidewinder winded up to my side hissing into my ear, “we were so  **_worried_ ** for you when we came to find you not in your room.”

“I was getting more materials for some experiments. My dealer had extra from another shipment and offered it to me but only if I could get there last night,” pushing Sidewinder away enjoying her shocked face as she stumbled moving to the door, “Now if you’ll excuse me I am going to get some sleep I’ve been riding hard all night and am really sore from it.”

“No you have to tell us the truth you’ve started disappearing to ‘get supplies’ and all my jobs have gone to shit,” the bony pale fingers of Sidewinder wrap around Estelle’s upper arm squeezing tightly.

“Sounds like you just can’t get the job done, I don’t know what it has to do with me,” removing her hand from their arm, “now I hope you have a good day.” Estelle tries to slither their way into their room finally almost getting the door closed before Mojave’s hand catches it.

“Sidewinder get out of here. I’ll talk to Copperhead by  _ myself _ .” Sidewinder slinks away at the tone Mojave uses before pulling the door open completely and sliding in before slamming it behind him -with a loud  **bang** \- and in an instant he is crowding their space looking down at them eyes narrowed and brow furrowed.

“Can I help you Mojave? Because I just told you I’ve had a long hard-”

“Yeah, you told me you had  _ a long hard ride _ . Who were you with? What is their name?”

“I told you I was gettin’ supplies!”

“I don’t see them with you-”

“That’s because I dropped them off at the lab first! Why do you even  **_care_ ** ?!” Estelle's good mood was officially gone soured by Sidewinder earlier but now completely spoiled by the Mojave and the taste of venom in their mouth.

“Because you’re  **_MINE_ ** !” He reaches his hand out to grab their arms, but Estelle side steps away hissing loudly in clear annoyance and anger at him as his face sours at their rejection.

“We **_stopped_** bein’ together **_years ago_**! You _left me_ **_remember_**? and became the most bloodthirsty Mojave in the history of the gang! Don’t think for a second if I was seein’ someone - ** _which I wasn’t_** \- that you have any reason to even ask me about my _personal_ ** _BUSINESS_**!” The venom flies out of Estelle’s mouth as she hisses out the last bit, his skin sizzling slightly at it’s altered potency burning his skin like acid. 

“I have a right to know if anything is going to affect the gang! And that includes your personal business! _ I own the whole gang and I  _ **_own you_ ** ,” Mojave moves towards them each step heavy against the hard floor until Estelle is backed against the wall and he leans down hissing against their ear and placing his hand on their body where the raised scar tissue lies under their clothes, “and you do best to remember that. Unless you’d like a repeat of  _ last time _ .” With that he leaves slamming the door closed again. Sliding down the wall Estelle curls in on themselves trying to become as small as possible refusing to cry not over this not over him. Remembering that in two days they’ll have a whole new life.

Waiting through the two days takes more effort than Estelle expectes. Sidewinder spends most of her time following them around watching and needling them about anything and everything. But Estelle does their best to avoid all of it slipping a quick message to Amari about the plan and to get ready. The Mojave didn’t speak to them again but Estelle wouldn’t be surprised if he had asked Sidewinder to have someone watch them and she had just taken it upon herself to do it. Working with Sidewinder over their shoulder wasn’t something they would miss, they acted like a bull in a china shop -knocking everything over without a care in the world- and it was frankly detrimental everyone involved. Though it was enjoyable to watch her squirm as they stitched her up after she sliced her hand open on a beaker she had broken. 

On the second day Mojave leaves the hideout apparently on urgent business. Estelle can only swear under their breath when they get the news, because sure the deal wasn’t hinging on him being brought it but the fact that if he even finds out they’re alive and they sold them out it would be over for them. The plan had to go on anyways, nodding to Amari they snuck back to their room grabbing all the things they decided it would be safe to take before heading back towards the lab an Amari upon reaching the lab they find Sidewinder there signature “smile “ stretched across her face as she holds a knife to Amari’s gut pressing it closer as I move to take a step closer.

“I knew it! I KNEW IT! I knew you were planning something. I just didn’t realize just how stupid you would be,” Sidewinder removes the knife pushing Amari away from her pointing the knife at me a crazed gleem in her eyes as she wipes one hand across her face smugging her makeup even more, “Leave the gang! You are dumber than any of us thought. But it explains so much you must have sold me out. There is no way my plans could all go wrong unless the law had inside help.” Sidewinder slowly moves further and further to the side, trying to circle around me, not being able to walk forward completely, falling deep into her more instinctual nature as she slowly loses it.

Suddenly the sound of chaos exploded through the hideout, guns were drawn and shot echoing throughout the whole building, the smell of gunpowder and blood filled every sense coating their tongues in the chemical taste of death. Moving quickly Estelle struck at Sidewinder deciding a quick now or never getting a good lock on her was hard as she trashed and let loose a loud rattles and hisses, but one she got her under control Estelle extended their fangs biting down and letting loose. Venom flowed out of their glands saturating the blood in the bite sight. Sidewinder already delirious from her earlier break started to laugh loud and shrill before she started to convulse Estelle dropping her to the floor as their venom racked through her. Eyes wide as she looked up as Estelle.

“H-how? You’re ju- t a lowl-ly copperhead,” Estelle crouches down over her taking the knife that fell beside her and bringing it to her neck. 

“That was always your problem you never looked below yourself. At the people who grew up fighting for chances. I happened to be good with chemicals and potions naturally advancing my body. I bet you’re wondering how it is even affecting you right? Why it is burning through your body like acid? That’s because it is more like acid than it was before I worked hard on making my venom something that could affect other yuan-ti and I did it. You were my first subject would you say it was successful,” Sidewinder spits hitting Estelle in the face before gurgling up blood spilling over and out of her mouth coating the floor around her head almost like a bastardized halo. Taking her knife Estell places it across her neck cutting clean across it and placing it back in her hand. Turning to Amari handing them their belongings finally and taking the syringe he offers to them.

“I’ll see you on the other side?” Estelle places it against the neck eyes looking into his.

“Count on it kid,” Estelle nods pushing in the syringe and falling towards the floor almost hitting it before Amari catches them and lays them gently down before placing a fake stab wound on their body. Estelle feels their body slow and become cold, heavy all their limbs feel too heavy but also limp as they finally slip into the dark behind their eye.

  
  


“You should tell ‘em the truth Amari, they deserve to know.”

“I don’t know if I shou-,” Amari paused tongue flicking out and he quickly walked over to Estelle’s bedside, “They’re waking up, We’ll talk about this later.” 

The sound of the voices and a to bright light trying to force them to open their eyes woke Estelle up. Estelle woke to the feeling of soft warmth, a blanket wrapped around them, and the sound of hiss like humming as someone stroked their hair out of their face. Opening their eyes sitting in the chair next to their bed copper eyes bright and almost golden in their joy as Amari looked down at them. 

“Five more minutes,” Estelle rolls over and pulls the soft quilt over their head, three distingutive laughs fill the room. Estelle pulls the the quilt down slowly peeking over the edge of it as they finally take in that William and Farely are also in the room, letting out a deep groan only gets more laughs at their actions, “So this is the other side? I didn’t expect there to be so many old men here.”

“Who are you calling old, kid?” 

“Given the gray in almost all of y’alls hair I say you three.” 

“Okay kid, you’ve asked for it,” Farely looks over to William both nodding at each other and smiling before William grabs the blanket and pulls off exposing Estelle who curls up as the cool morning air hits them and Farely grabs them across the stomach an easily throwing them over their large shoulder and running them outside standing next a water trough, and adjusts them to where they are cradled in his arms directly over the trough. Estelle scrambles to hold onto his arms as slowly lets them slip, “Now what was that? Who is old again?” Laughter rumbles in his chest and from behind them as William and Amari stand in the back.

“No one y’all ain’t old!”

“That’s what I thought,” shifting them in his arms Farley moves back towards the house and places them down in one of the rocking chairs. Estelle’s tongue sticks out at him flicking slowly in irritation. 

“Estelle, pull your tongue back in your mouth, before someone tries to catch it,” Estelle pulls her tongue back knowing that Amari means it, given it is a common thing to do to hatchlings to break the habit. 

“So what happens now?” Estelle looks up at all three of them. The three men who looked at them and decided to help create her crazy plan and helped her accomplish it. 

“Well you two will come with us to Thornbend. It’s out of TF territory and they do think you’re dead.”

“What about Amari? Ain’t you still part of the gang? If you leave they’ll hunt you down.” Estelle jumps up only to have pain flare up and burn behind their eyes and to find the ground looking a little bit closer than before, before the hit the ground two sets of hands grab them and stabilize them then guiding them back down into the chair. Amari moves to stand in front of her crouching down face to face.

“The Mojave kicked me out,” he pulls up his sleeve and removes a bandage raised and ugly against his skin is a brand, red and healing, but the headless snake stands there prominently, “Apparently looking at me was to much for him, and he kicked me off after we buried you body-”

“Just because he kicked you doesn’t mean you’re safe! You are vulnerable! You have no protection anyone can kill you and they will if they see that mark.”

“Don’t worry I think I’ll have plenty of protection,” he looks up his face softens and he smiles at William and Farely, “William and Morgan have been most accommodating.”

“I’m sure that all good ‘n great but that still- wait what do you mean by accommodating?”

“Well Estelle when a people like each other very much-”

“Oh my- STOP! You’ve only known each other for like a day.”

“Um kid, I don’t know how to tell you this,” Farely stood awkwardly behind Amari hand rubbing against his neck, “but you’ve been out for around two weeks.”

“I- W-what?!” Amari waves his hand to the others and they slowly walked back into the house leaving them alone on the porch. 

“Estelle, your body reacted differently to the drug than what was expected especially at the dose needed to make you seem dead long enough for everyone to believe it. We’ve been at the Farely’s residence for two weeks and I have been monitoring you while you slept for a lot of that time.”

“We have to get out of the TF’s territory. We can’t stay here, anyone can come after you now-”

“Estelle we’ll be leaving today, on the evening train. We were waiting as long as we could but if you still hadn’t woken up we would have risked moving you again. Because your fears are justified, people have come snoopin’ around. Now we got all your stuff packed and have even gotten you some extra things.”

Amari leads them back inside, walking them over to a large trunk opens it for them revealing a cash of alchemy supplies as well a pair of shiny new revolvers sitting on top of an assortment of clothes. Estelle slowly reached out running their hands down the pearl white handle to the gold details traveling all the way down the barrel then grabbing the cool leather of the holster that rest below them. Placing them down on the bed they reach into the assortment of clothes pulling out a cream button up blouse and a deep red skirt. Estelle turns to Amari, shifting from foot to foot, before they reach further in the trunk grabbing some undergarments. He nods closing the door behind him leaving Estelle alone to their thoughts as they remove the nightgown they had been wearing. Staring down at themselves the scar stands out against their skin red and angry spanning a big chunk of their lower stomach they reach down and hand hovering over it before grabbing their undergarments and sliding them on quickly. Putting the rest of their clothes on, lacing their boots and adjusting the holsters to their hips they close the trunk with a soft -thunk.

Opening the door Estelle makes their way into the main room where the three men sit -well more like lounge- across a couch wrapped up in each other Morgan’s arms reaching across both the backs of William and Amari as they lean into him, Amari’s legs stretched across both their laps. Their eyes turn too Estelle as they sit down in an armchair across from them, fiddling with their hands looking up every now and then. Amari lets out a sharp hiss and all eyes snap over to him as he stares directly into William’s eyes as they have a whole conversation with their eyes and head gestures. William’s hand reaches down pinching Amari’s leg harshly through his pants.

“ _ Tell ‘em _ ,” William harshly “whispers” at him.

“Tell me what?” Estelle looks over at them

“He wants me to tell you about your father.”

“What about my father?” Estelle leans forward in the chair eyes focused on Amari as he lets out a deep sigh.

“That I’m your father.”

“ _ What _ !” Estelle stands up so fast the chair wobbles a bit before settling down.

“Estel-”

“You’re tellin’ me that you knew this whole time I was your kid and you did say nothin’?” 

“I told you that I had failed you.”

“How? How did you fail me?” Estelle walks over to where he is on the couch -now with both feet firmly on the floor-, “You’re gonna tell me while I worked my ass off in the gang thinkin’ my father just left me to my fate, you were there the whole time takin’ care of me? Makin’ sure I was okay and as safe as I could be. I spent so many nights hopin’ that you could just be my father,” Wrapping their arms around him feeling the tears on his face, “I didn’t know but you were always the father I choose, you just happen to be the I lost.”

“You’re not mad?” Amari barely gets out over his tears.

“Oh I wouldn’t go that far but I’m tryin’ to think on the positives right now but we will have a talk about it later,” adjusting the hug to where they are now all on the cuddled on couch. Warmth and love radiates from the cuddle pile as they sit there in content silence. The sunlight streams into the room through soft blue curtains 

“I’m changing my name,” a chorus of soft interested hmms respond to Estelle.

“Whatcha changin’ it too, kid,” Morgan’s voice rumbles through all their bodies as he speaks.

“I was thinkin’ Ellar, Ellar Hallet.” They all hear Amari’s breath hitch in his throat, eyes again shining with tears as he stares at them pulling them into an even tighter hug

“I take it there’s a reason given Ari’s reaction.” Willam drawls out.

“My mom told me that my father always wanted to call me Ellar, after one of his parents, and Hallet obviously is his last name.”

“Well Ellar, I’m gonna go put your name on all your travel papers,” shifting out of the pile William rises and walks over grabbing a briefcase and pulling out a stack of papers and a glowing pen and starts working, “also while I’m up I’m gonna make some food if you want anything.”

“ **_PLEASE_ ** !” Ellar perks up at the thought of food launching themselves almost completely off the couch before Amari catches them, just now realizing how hungry they are. Feeling like they are starving.

“Anything in particular, Ellar?” 

“ **_Meat_ ** .” Ellar launches forward again this time removing themselves from the pile landing on the floor with a thunk tongue flicking out rapidly as the stand then they move towards William circling around him. Letting out soft high pitch hisses around him in anticipation.

“What are they doing,” William to his credit doesn’t look up from what he’s doing as Ellar lets out a hiss right near his ear.

“It’s a food response,” Amari gets up and walks over to the cold box, runes flaring as he unlocks it, “It’s quite common with yuan-ti but especially now that their body has warmed up from the brumation and hasn’t been able to eat during that time,” pulling out a ham they slice a couple large chunks off from it waving the plate around permeating the air with the scent. Ellar quickly turns their attention from William toward the plate in Amari’s hand snatching it quickly and shoving the contents of it into their mouth -jaw unhinged. 

“Are they gonna be okay, because their jaw is  _ um _ and they don’t look to be chewing-”

“That’s perfectly normal.”

“Normal?”

“Yea we don’t actually have to chew if we don’t want to, if we don’t have time, or if we’re kinda out of it. We can just swallow things whole as long as it's small enough to fit down our throats.”

“Really well that explains that one thing,” Ellar stops eating eyes racing between all three of them Amari’s face turning a deep read at Morgan’s comment.

“ _ Ew _ . I definitely  **_didn't_ ** need to know  **_that_ ** !” Stuffing the last piece of ham into their mouth making sure to chew in thoroughly before moving to sit in the armchair again. William and Morgan’s laughter filled the room with warmth again.

After the food was made & everyone had eaten their fill a content silence filled the air and the sky turned pink and purple with dusk beginning to fall over the house. Grabbing all their trunks they made it outside where a large covered wagon waited with soft pink light reflecting off their white coats of the horses. Morgan took the trunks from the all loading them into undercarriage before climbing up top and taking the reins. The rest of them climbed into the wagon and they off they went. 

Ellar woke when the wagon came to a stop. Climbing out of the wagon Ellar watched as the two horses disappeared at a wave of William and Morgan’s hands, pulling all of their trunks out of the undercarriage Amari walked over to the side of it pulling a handle and suddenly the wagon collapsed into another trunk. Packing themselves into their passenger car they sat huddled together, Ellar leaning against Amari’s shoulder as he stroked her hair and across from them William and Morgan wrapped around each other. Ellar couldn’t help but smile as the train took off and rumbled along the tracks and the scenery of the thin mesquite trees, pale green grass, and desert flowers flashed past through the window. It was a final goodbye. It was freedom. Freedom from the blood and the taunting laughter, freedom from the Twin Fangs, freedom from the Mojave. It was an  **_emancipation_ ** . It was their emancipation and they would never go back to being that person Estelle Holloway was dead and in their place stood Ellar Hallet. And Ellar Hallet would be  **_free_ ** .

**Author's Note:**

> basically this is the backstory of my D&D yuan-ti artificer character Ellar Hallet who I made to go with a fun wild west western setting I'm making & to go with my friend's oc Credence Miller


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